5.3 into and 86 4x4 C10

I just finished up this swap with help from my brother in law. We used a 5.3 from an 01 suburban and mated it to the existing 700r4. We put fuel pumps in both tanks and upgraded the switching valve so the dual tanks still work properly. We also used the 5.3 compressor and got the ac working. The cruise servo is from an 87 Buick Grand National. Sorry the engine is dirty, but I took the pics before scrubbing everything down. The truck has 4.56 gears, locker in the rear, limited slip in the front, and 35 inch tires.

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Is that the original fan shroud and radiator? I'm putting a 6.0 in an 86 K5 Blazer.

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Originally Posted by stevebbc

Is that the original fan shroud and radiator? I'm putting a 6.0 in an 86 K5 Blazer.

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Yes

Did the Sanden compressor clear the frame or did you use an aftermarket bracket? What motor mounts?
Thanks,
Steve

Nothing cleared like I wanted because its a 4x4. I extended the passenger side motor mount perch to the back of the truck and relocated the mount back far enough, so the stock compressor bracket would clear. I also had to remove the stock cross member and fab one that set lower under the front of the engine to give the compressor enough clearance on the bottom side. The oil pan was also touching the stock cross member at the drivers side front corner. I used generic mounts that set the engine 1 inch forward from stock. Putting it in the stock location would have required a lot more work to clear the ac compressor.

hey i got a question. i am looking at doing similar swap in an 89 and want to use my 700r4 and original transfercase. what did you have to do to mate that motor up to the 700r4.

I used the GM flywheel and spacer for the 4L80.

I just noticed your tag! :lol:

Nice swap! I like how you retained the AC and Cruise Control.

And yea, sweet tag!

My oil pan hit the stock front xmember too. I cut a square hole in it about 1.5"x1.5" for the front ds corner of the oil pan to drop into. And ground a little off the pan too. Used the Novak high ps ac mount.

I also used the 4l80e spacer from gm parts direct for the 700r4.

I think after seeing yours, I'm going to get the CC parts back out and see if I can set it up like yours.

I have to say, that is a really clean looking install, at least from the pictures. Nice looking truck! My son has an 86 3/4T 4x4 which we have considered doing swap into. It has the SM465/NP208 combo behind a 350 right now. I'd bet dropping the entire NBS/NNBS drivetrain into it would have to be easier than trying to mate a 5.3/6.0 to the SM465. It's bad enough to get the 350 mated to it! Anyway, just had to comment ... and kudos on the plate. I used to enjoy that show a lot! Lee Majors was the man (Six Million Dollar Man, that is :D ).

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Originally Posted by Paulster2

I have to say, that is a really clean looking install, at least from the pictures. Nice looking truck! My son has an 86 3/4T 4x4 which we have considered doing swap into. It has the SM465/NP208 combo behind a 350 right now. I'd bet dropping the entire NBS/NNBS drivetrain into it would have to be easier than trying to mate a 5.3/6.0 to the SM465. It's bad enough to get the 350 mated to it! Anyway, just had to comment ... and kudos on the plate. I used to enjoy that show a lot! Lee Majors was the man (Six Million Dollar Man, that is :D ).

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Thanks. The goal was to do a very clean swap so there are no issues down the road. When you do your swap, keep in mind that the front driveshaft runs down the drivers side on the newer trucks. I decided to use the exsisting transmission so I wouldnt have to find a different transfer case adapter.

Kansas T, what accelerator cable did you use?

Its a stock cable for a 2000 silverado. I had to bend the gas pedal out about 1.5 inches so it would pull the throttle body open all the way.

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Originally Posted by Kansas T

Its a stock cable for a 2000 silverado. I had to bend the gas pedal out about 1.5 inches so it would pull the throttle body open all the way.

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Cool! an iroc tune port is close for the same reason, I'll check it out and bet I can bend the pedal linkage like you say. Thanks!

nothing like stuffing something new into sxomething old! nice truck! how did you get the stock a/c to work?

I wired the 86 low pressure switch to the 5.3 wiring harness. The ac compressor clutch output from the factory hvac control head sends power to the pcm ac request wire and the 5.3 ecm is in control of it. I used the hose adapters from Doc's Blocks on the compressor and had custom hoses made to fit them.

Looks good. Don't mind me asking, which exhaust manifolds did you use?
Any initial start up issues/ongoing issues at all?
Did you do you're own wiring?
Tank question - How did you put pumps in the tank? TBI sending unit, swapped to a different pump?
Can you switch tanks driving down the road? I would think that dead-heading a pump, even for a second or two (such as tank switching) would cause huge pressures and problems....any of that?
Sorry for the questions - midway through an 86 5.3 swap.

I used the non egr truck manifolds. I do all my own wiring. I used the original fuel senders and modified them to work with the in tank pumps. Buying the tbi sending units would have been easier, but they weren't in the budget. The aftermarket tank switching valve isn't strong enough to switch while running. It will switch the pressure side, but the return sticks. You end up returning the fuel to the wrong tank and overflowing it. You just have to switch tanks before you start it and there are no issues. The tank switch also controls the fuel pumps, so there is only one running at any given time. Dead heading the pumps for a little bit doesn't hurt anything. I did this swap for a friend of mine and he's been daily driving it since I finished it. One of the walbro pumps failed shortly after he got it, but other than that, no issues. He drives it about 60 miles a day.

Thanks a lot. No clearence issues on the passenger side with those manifolds? No picture of that side/hard to tell.

When you hooked up you're fuel lines, what did you use? High pressure rubber? Nylon? Stainlesshose? I'm guessing you used the regulator built into the manifold for a dual line setup?

Are you running any sort of VSS?

I did notch the frame slightly in the rear by the crossover flange, but I'm not sure I would have had to. I looked through my pictures and I don't have any showing that. I used high pressure rubber hose for the fuel system and Dorman fuel rail adapters to the stock fuel rail and regulator. There is currently no vss and it runs great, but I still plan on putting one in sometime. If you don't use the vss you'll get a high idle code, but it can be shut off in the programming.

Thanks for all of this. I'm looking to install mine on a test stand to run for a bit to ensure the wiring has all been done correctly, and install during the winter or early spring. Really looking foward to the ability to just turn key and start, rather than pumping the gas and fiddle with the choke :P

Looking at one of you're pictures, the power steering pump looks like a new pump (5.3 pump). Any troubles adapting the lines to fit the old steering box?

That is the newer style pump that comes on the 5.3. I've heard that '81 and newer use the same fitting, so your original hoses will work. Due to its location, its a little hard to tighten the pressure hose down, but it can be done. I had to bend the return line pipe on the pump for frame clearance. Good luck with your build.

First of all, beautiful truck! I just picked up a similar 86 K10 that I bought a 6.0 for. Can't wait to get started!!!

What did you do for the remainder of the exhaust? Did you use the factory Y-pipe and build from it, or just custom from the manifolds back?

It's all custom from the manifolds back. Dual 3" pipes with 40 series flowmasters. It dumps in front of the rear axle. I would go with 2.5 inch pipes if I was to do it again. The larger pipes make it pretty loud.

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Originally Posted by Kansas T

The aftermarket tank switching valve isn't strong enough to switch while running.

Dead heading the pumps for a little bit doesn't hurt anything. I did this swap for a friend of mine and he's been daily driving it since
I finished it. One of the walbro pumps failed shortly after he got it, but other than that, no issues. He drives it about 60 miles a day.

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How long has he been driving the truck since the swap? I've been trying to locate an aftermarket switching valve, and the ones I have found are only rated to 60-65psi or so. If the FPR is located downstream of the switching valve, I would think the valve would see higher pressures than 58psi (pump side of the FPR). Has he had any leaks or anything of the sort? Is his set up this was, or differently?

I used the Pollak switching valve that's rated to 65psi. Since the fuel pressure regulator is on the return side of the fuel rail the pressure should never be over 60 anywhere in the system. No leaks in the system, but the drivers side fuel pump came loose the other day. The bracket I made to hang the pump broke free from the sending unit. It was a quick fix to make a new bracket, but next time I'll probably use the tbi style fuel senders.